1. Field of The Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the production of bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid and a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid (cis-8,11,14-eicasatrienoic acid) is present in fish oils and and seaweed as a fatty acid component thereof, but since the content thereof is very low, purified bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid produced therefrom is very expensive, and therefore, an efficient process for the production thereof is urgently required. To this end, various processes for the production of bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid using microorganisms have been proposed, but none of those processes is satisfactory.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a process whereby bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid can be efficiently produced by using an inexpensive culture medium.
The present inventors found that, when a microorganism capable of producing arachidonic acid is cultured in a medium containing sesame oil or peanut oil, the production of arachidonic acid is suppressed and the amount of bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid produced is increased.
The present inventors also found that the effective ingredients in sesame oil can be extracted with an organic solvent which is substantially immiscible with the sesame oil, such as acetone, and that these ingredients comprise at least sesamin, sesaminol, episesamin, episesaminol, and sesamolin. The present inventors further found that effective ingredients can be extracted from sesame seeds with an organic solvent, and that these ingredients comprise at least 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicycl o [3.3.0] octane, 2,6-bis-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo [3.3.0] octane, 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenoxy)-3,7-dioxabicyc lo [3.3.0] octane.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a process for the production of bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic and, comprising the steps of:
culturing a microorganism capable of producing arachidonic acid in a culture medium containing an additive selected from the group consisting of sesame oil, peanut oil, and a mixture thereof, to produce bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; or adding the additive to a culture medium in which the microorganism has been grown, and then further culturing the microorganism to produce bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; and recovering the bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid.
The present invention also provides a process for the production of a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid, comprising the steps of:
culturing a microorganism capable of producing arachidonic acid in a culture medium containing an additive selected from the group consisting of sesame oil, peanut oil, and a mixture thereof, to produce a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; or adding the additive to a culture medium in which the microorganism has been grown, and then further culturing the microorganism to produce a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; and recovering the lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid.
The present invention further provides a process for the production of bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid, comprising the step of:
culturing a microorganism capable of producing arachidonic acid in a culture medium containing an additive selected from the group consisting of an extract from sesame oil with a solvent which is substantially immiscible with the sesame oil and an extract from sesame seeds with a solvent which is substantially immiscible with the sesame oil to produce bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; or adding the additive to a culture medium in which the microorganism has been grown, and then further culturing the microorganism to produce bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; and recovering the bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid.
The present invention also provides a process for the production of a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid, comprising the steps of:
culturing a microorganism capable of producing arachidonic acid in a culture medium containing an additive selected from the group consisting of an extract extracted from sesame oil with a solvent which is immiscible with the sesame oil and an extract from sesame seeds to produce a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; or adding the additive to a culture medium in which the microorganism has been grown, and then further culturing the microorganism to produce a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; and recovering the lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid.
The present invention provides another process for the production of bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid, comprising the steps of:
culturing a microorganism capable of producing arachidonic acid in a culture medium containing an additive selected from the group consisting of sesamin sesaminol, episesamin, episesaminol, sesamolin, 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicycl o [3.3.0] octane, 2,6-bis-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo [3.3.0]octane, 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenoxy)-3,7-dioxabicyc lo [3.3.0]octane, and a mixture thereof, to produce bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; or adding the additive to a culture medium in which the microorganism has been grown, and then further culturing the microorganism to produce bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; and recovering the bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid.
The present invention still further provides a process for the production of a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid, comprising the steps of:
culturing a microorganism capable of producing arachidonic acid in a culture medium containing an additive selected from the group consisting of sesamin, sesaminol, episesamin, episesaminol sesamolin, 2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo [3.3.0] octane, 2,6-bis-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dioxabicyclo [3.3.0] octane, 2-(3,4-methylene dioxyphenyl)-6-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenoxy)-3,7-dioxabicyclo [3.3.0] octane, and a mixture thereof, to produce a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; or adding the additive to a culture medium in which the microorganism has been grown, and then culturing the microorganism to produce a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; and recovering the lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid.
Moreover, the present invention provides a process for the production of bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid, comprising the steps of:
culturing a microorganism capable of producing arachidonic acid in a culture medium containing an additive selected from the group consisting of Tarragon extract, Dill Seed extract, Parsley extract, Turmeric extract, Nutmeg extract, and a mixture thereof, to produce bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; or adding the additive to a culture medium in which the microorganism has been grown, and then further culturing the microorganism to produce bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid or a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; and recovering the bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid.
The present invention also provides a process for the production of a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid, comprising the steps of:
culturing a microorganism capable of producing arachidonic acid in a culture medium containing an additive selected from the group consisting of Tarragon extract, Dill Seed extract, Parsley extract, Turmeric extract, Nutmeg extract, and a mixture thereof, to produce a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; or adding the additive to a culture medium in which the microorganism has been grown, and then further culturing the microorganism to produce a lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid; and recovering the lipid containing bishomo-.gamma.-linolenic acid.